Using Witnessing Tracts

The effectiveness of tracts is enhanced by the hear/see/do principle: “I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.”  Reading a tract with an unbeliever and asking him or her to respond in appropriate places allows the unbeliever to listen, to see, and to interact.  The more senses used, the more the message is reinforced.  Using a track can give you as much spiritual “exposure” to an unbeliever in one witnessing encounter as you might have in two or three other conversations.

Tracts also allow you to present a witness when time or availability would otherwise hinder.  Leaving a tract in a waiting room, placing one in the hands of a busy salesclerk, mailing one to a friend in another state, are all ways to witness when an opportunity might otherwise not be present.

Before You Use a Witnessing Tract

Read the tract several times. Be thoroughly familiar with its contents. Practice reading it until you can do so smoothly and comfortably.  Know the contents well enough to put parts of it into your own words. Understand the sequence of the presentation and learn to anticipate what is presented on each new page.

The tract itself follows a universal and biblical presentation of the gospel:

• God’s ultimate plan for man (His love, eternal life, relationship with Him, etc.)
• Man’s problem (sin/self-will)
• God’s solution to man’s problem (Jesus Christ—who He is, and what He did)
• Man’s response to God’s solution (receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior)

The Scriptures used to support these concepts are familiar ones, or ones you can easily learn.  Once you’re acquainted with the format of your witnessing tract, you’ll feel comfortable and confident using it to help you introduce others to Jesus.

Practice using the tract with a friend or family member. Ask them for feedback on ways you can improve your presentation. 

Now, pack some tracks in your jacket, purse, glove compartment, desk—anywhere you can grab one quickly when a witnessing opportunity presents itself.

Start a Witnessing Encounter

Meeting lost people is rarely a problem. They stand beside us in lines at the home gardening store. They work at the desk next to ours. They attend school functions with us. 

The difficulty is identifying the spiritual condition of these shoppers, coworkers, and fellow parents. To do this, we must see people as God sees them, without the façades of earthly success and outer happiness.  To find out what lies beneath the façade, you make a connection.

If you have participated in The NET general training, you’ve learned how to begin a conversation using the C-A-S-T method.  The C stands for connection. First, you make a connection with someone by asking a few simple questions such as “Where are you from originally?” or “How long have you lived here?” Next, the A stands for activities. As you continue talking with the person, you try to identify activities or interests you have in common. Maybe you’re from the same state. Or maybe you both enjoy the same sport or hobby. Or your have children the same age. 

S is for spiritual. When you’ve made a solid connection and established things you have in common, you move the conversation to spiritual issues. You ask questions such as “Do you ever think about God or heaven?” or “Are you happy with the way your life is going?”  Choose questions that come naturally to you, ones that make you feel comfortable.  If you’re uncomfortable, it’s likely the other person will be, too.

If the person is receptive to a continued discussion, this is a great time to ask, “May I share some great news with you?” or “May I share with you how I’ve discovered a new life?”

If the person agrees to talk further, pull the tract from your pocket or purse, saying something like, “Great! The information in this little booklet changed my life. Thanks for letting me share it with you.”

When you share Christ using a tract, be sure the person with whom you’re sharing is able to see the pages. Sit or stand beside the person, not across from them.  Go slowly. Give the person time to process the information before moving to the next page. 

If the person is hesitant about reading the entire tract, ask if you can leave it with him or her to read later.  You may want to write your name and phone number on the back of the tract before giving it to the person.

Using a Tract

Go through the tract at a pace that’s comfortable for you and the person with whom you’re sharing. Be alert to the person’s interest and involvement. If you feel you’re losing his or her attention, speed up your presentation.  If you are comfortable that the person is interested, stop every few pages and ask, “Does that make sense to you?” or “Do you have any questions about what we’ve gone over?” 

If the person has questions, answer as best you can, using examples from your own testimony whenever possible. 

Don’t be afraid to say, “That’s something I don’t know, but I’ll be glad to find out and get back with you. For now, let’s continue reading this little booklet.”  Don’t allow the conversation to stray to “religious” conversations that have little to do with salvation.

When you reach the portion of the tract where the person is asked to make a commitment, encourage him or her not to hesitate. But remember that you cannot make the decision for someone else.  The Holy Spirit must bring conviction of sin and must draw the person to Him. 

If you feel the Holy Spirit leading, ask: “Would you like to ask Jesus to save you now?” or  “Do you feel God leading you to accept His gift of salvation?”

If the person hesitates, ask, “What’s keeping you from making this decision?”  Deal with questions or concerns as best you can. But remember: Your responsibility is to sow the seed. God will bring the harvest when He’s ready.   

Always leave the door open for another witness—from you or from another Christian. If you press too hard, you may alienate the person you’re attempting to win to Christ and make them harder for someone else to reach.  

If you are privileged to pray with the person to receive Christ, use the concepts in the tract as a guide, but pray from your heart. Remember that the person must acknowledge that he or she has sinned and that only Jesus can provide salvation.  The person must ask for the gift of eternal life and confess Jesus as Lord.  At that moment, the prayer becomes a praise as you both thank God for this new member of His family.

Immediate Follow-up

Accepting Jesus as Savior is only the beginning—for the new Christian and for you.  Evangelism and discipleship go hand-in-hand. Spend time helping the new believer begin to grow spiritually.  

If you lead a stranger to the Lord during a brief encounter, ask for the person’s name so you can pray for them (then be sure to pray!).  Suggest that the new believer call 1-888 Jesus 2000 for specific help in growing as a Christian or to find a church near their home.

If the new Christian is someone who lives near you, make a commitment to spend time helping that person to grow spiritually.  Don’t miss the responsibility and privilege of participating in a new believer’s growth.

Whether you quickly go over the following growth aspects with a stranger, or walk hand and hand through them with a friend or relative, be sure everyone you lead to the Lord understands these steps to Christian maturity.

Read the Bible daily.  Make sure every new believer has a Bible.  The Gospel of John is a good place to encourage the believer to begin reading.

Pray daily.  Help the new believer understand that prayer doesn’t require a special language or posture.  It’s simply talking with God.  A new believer can, and should, pray any time and any place.  Prepare the new believer for the times when he or she will sin. Explain the importance of confessing sins and asking for forgiveness.

Worship with other believers.   Being active in a church where the Bible is believed and taught is crucial to any believer’s growth.  Do everything you can to help the new believer find a strong church.

Share your story.  Ask the new believer to name someone who would be happy to hear about the decision he or she just made.  Challenge the new believer to tell this person as soon as possible, not only telling what happened, but how it happened.

Explain that this is now their testimony—the story of how Jesus changed their life.  There was a time when they wondered how their story would turn out. But now, because of God’s love and forgiveness, their story has a happy ending. 

Challenge the new believer to share his or her story with as many people as possible. Tell them that this was the commandment Jesus gave all believers right before He returned to heaven.  That’s why you shared your story with this new believer. And it’s why God will be expecting this new believer to share his or her story with someone else.